No oil painting: Cowen mayleave without official portrait

The taoiseach is facing a general election in the new year, and between budgets and bailouts would appear to have little time to sit for an artist

Brian Cowen may become the first taoiseach to leave office without having his picture painted. It is traditional for the taoiseach to sit for an official portrait, commissioned by the Office of Public Works (OPW), while in office. The resulting work is then hung in Leinster House once the taoiseach retires.

The OPW said last week that a Cowen painting had “not yet been commissioned” and there are “no plans in hand at this very moment to undertake the process”. Cowen is facing a general election early in the new year, and between budgets and bailouts would appear to have little time to sit for an artist.

Bertie Ahern, the last taoiseach, had his portrait painted in 2001, towards the end of his first term in office. It has yet to be hung in Leinster House. It was painted by James Hanley, one of Ireland’s most prominent portrait artists and